388 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



it is rarely seen until the weeds are parted and the searcher looks directly 

 down upon the nest. 



"It is evident that this warbler begins nest construction about May 20 

 as fresh sets are found as early as June 2. The nests are neatly made 

 of thin, flat, broad blades of swamp grass and strips of weed bark, lined 

 with fine, round stemlike grasses, giving the interior a reddish appearance. 

 Nests measure close to 3^ inches high, 4 inches in diameter outside and 2 

 inches deep by 2\ diameter inside. 



"Eggs 4 or 5, rarely 6, noticeably rounded in shape, with no gloss and 

 variously speckled or spotted mostly with vinaceous-cinnamon." 



Vermivora lawrenci (Herrick) 

 Lawrence Warbler 



Plate 93 



Distinguishing characteristics. Like the Blue-winged warbler except the throat 

 and cheeks which have the black patches of the Golden-winged warbler. There are different 

 degrees of intergrading in the coloration of this form between the Blue-winged and the 

 Golden-winged warblers, but the typical Lawrence warbler is practically as stated above. 

 Some resemble the Golden-winged warbler more, but all show a greater or less amount of 

 yellowish green above and yellow below, with black cheek and throat patches in the male 

 or dusky gray in the female, as in the Golden- winged warbler. 



The Lawrence warbler was described as a distinct species and was held for many 

 years in the hypothetical list of the A. 0. U., but has now been dropped, the consensus 

 of opinion being that it is a hybrid between the species p i n u s and chrysoptera. 

 This conclusion is strengthened by the fact that nearly all the specimens of this bird 

 which have been procured were taken in the strip of country which represents the over- 

 lapping of the Blue-winged and Golden-winged warblers' breeding ranges. Most of these 

 specimens come from central and southern Connecticut and extreme southeastern New 

 York or northern New Jersey. New York specimens have been recorded from Highland 

 Falls, July 7, 1879, a female collected by Colonel Mearns (Brewster, N. O. C. Bui., 6: 

 220); an adult male from Rye, Westchester county, August 31, 1888, reported by C. J. 

 Voorhees (Auk, 5:427); a male from Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, May 8, 1902, 

 reported by Doctor Braislin (Auk, 20 : 53) ; a male mated with a female Blue-winged warbler 

 was observed by William C. Beebe breeding in Bronx Park, May 15, 1903; on June 16 the 



